Garret, braced against the walls above the doorway, smiled as he heard the dull thud of the guard's footsteps approach. The guard passed underneath him, muttering about some injustice incurred upon him. Garret dropped silently, dealing the guard a crashing blow to the base of his skull as he came down. Garret landed and caught the guard's still falling body, dragging it off to a small closet before bounding and gagging him. He placed him in the closet with two other guards and locked it up. Well, he thought to himself, about time I get on with the mission.

Garret let his mind wander back to the meeting he had had a week before. He had been perilously short of work lately and the offer had been too good to pass up, despite the nature of the mission. A weaselly looking man had offered him ten thousand in gold to 'remove' a certain man that was causing trouble for someone in a fairly high position. He had agreed. The rent was overdue and he had needed to take an advance on the payment just to get the equipment he needed to complete the job.

Garret had used the week before the job was due to be completed well. He had already entered the small mansion twice, but had refrained from 'playing' with the guards or stealing anything to ensure that he was not noticed and that the target didn't increase the amount, or quality, of the guards. He had put his time in the mansion to good use, making a map and memorising guards patrol routes and positions. He had had to kill two of the guards, archers that overlooked a brightly lit courtyard that he needed to cross. Two were in a closet on the first floor and the three he had just locked up were on the second floor.

The target resided on the third and final floor. There were two more guards up there but Garret had already neutralised them. He had noticed in previous visits that the two upstairs had the longest shift and always brought a cup of coffee each. Garret had managed to slip a little sleeping potion into the coffees and the guards should now be fast asleep.

Garret headed up the stairs and made his way to the targets room. He placed is ear against the door and listened for any signs of activity. He smiled as he heard the loud snoring. He took a key from one of the sleeping guards at the door and opened the door quietly and slowly. He slipped in the small gap and closed the door immediately. He then crouched down and stayed absolutely still and silent. He stayed this way for five minutes exactly, and then made his was towards the large bed in the centre of the room.

As Garret drew near the bed, he drew his short sword and moved into a standing position. He then stopped and waited another five minutes before proceeding. He stepped up close to the bed and his sword arced down, killing the sleeping man without a sound. Garret sighed and shook his head. More blood on my hands, he thought to himself. He took all the valuables he could find from the room and left.

One of the guards at the door awoke momentarily and saw a shadow glide silently around the corner. He shook his head and tried to clear his mind but fell back into a deep slumber.